Compound press.



J. M. PEERSON.

COMPOUND PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED MAYL-IQII.

1,297,901. Patented Mar. 18,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

J. M. PEERSON.

COMPOUND' PRESS.

APPLICATION HLEDMAY 1. 1917.

1,297,901 Patented Mar. 18, 1.919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. PEERSON, OF FLORENCE, ALABAMA.

COMPOUND PRESS.

Continuation of application filed April 10, 1918, Serial No. 90,289. This application filed May 7, 1917..

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Serial No. 166,880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. PEERSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Florence, in the county of Lauderdale and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compound Presses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to presses for expressing liquids, fats or oils from seeds, nuts, fats, meats, fruit or other substances by screw pressure.

The principal object of my invention is to design a compound press so arranged that the pressure of both the feed screws and of the tension elements against which the screws press the stock, are balanced, thus enabling me to provide at relatively small expense a compound press of large capacity that is practically free from thrust strains.

More specifically, my invention involves the provision of a screw shaft mounted on center bearings and driven from its center and carrying feed screws on its overhung ends which screws are reversely disposed,

.one being a left hand and the other a righthand screw so that each has its thrust compensated and offset by the thrust of the other.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel tension means which controls the expulsion of the material from the press barrel responsive to the action of the feed screw.

A further object of my invention relates to the construction and arrangement of the screw employed for expressing the oil or other liquid from the stock, this being formed in sections on sleeves which'can be mounted on the overhung screw shaft so as to vary at will the effective length of the screw.

Another feature of my invention relates to the manner of constructing and assembling a sectional casing or barrel which is itself capable of being elongated or shortened according to the conditions of service or'the character of the stock, and which is designed to provide readily adjustable annular escape: ment ports for the fluid at frequent intervals throughout the length of the barrel. This arrangement moi-over permits the cross section of the barrel to 'be varied according to different conditions, as barrel units may be introduced with their center openings varying to roduce flaring or contracting barrels of the stock as it is pressed through the barrel.

With the foregoing objects in view, my invention comprises the novel construction and arrangements of parts which are illustrated only in their preferred embodiments in the drawings, and which are more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

' Figure 1 is a side elevation of my press with one barrel shown broken away and in elevation, and the other barrel shown in vertical longitudinal cross section.

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1, showing the gear drive.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of part of a barrel broken away to show crushing and grinding elements inserted between sections of the screw.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through Fig. taken on the line 5-5.

Fig. 6-is a vertical-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Similar reference numerals refer to simi-' lar parts throughout the drawings.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, I show a main frame 1 having spaced upright bearing brackets 2 thereon which at their centers receive bushings 3 in which the main shaft 4 is journaled with its ends overhanging to each side and of a length to receive the maximum extent of a screw 5 which may be required for the work of the press The'brackets 2 are substan tially circular in shape having side extensions 6 with openings to receive two parallel horizontal rods 7 whidh extend the full length of the press on each side thereof and are threaded at their ends to receive nuts 8. I mount on the rod 7 on each side of the press a series of plates 9 which are also substantially circular in shape and provided with side extensions 10 having openlngs ter opening 11 formed in a thickened body portionthereof which On each side is niachined' to resent a smooth rin -face 12. To O space the plates ll interpose between the surfaces 12 of ad aQent plates on each side of a shaft a spaced strip 1%, see Fig. 5,.which 1s formed of a strip of metal corresponding in thickness to the spacing desired. Thme strips project suliiciently above the top peripheries of the plates so that the strips on one side can all be suspended from a common rod or sup-' port 15, thus simplifying their application and removal. Tn assembling the plates the nuts 8 are removed from the rods 7, the plates 9 are slipped into position on the rods, the spacer plates 1% are dropped into position between the plates and the nuts 8 are run in tight to'clamp the plates forming a barrel rigidly in predetermined spaced relation which is controlled by the strips 14. The end plates 9 are made thicker and heavier to stand the strain thereon. The rods 7 make a close fit in the extensions 10 so as to accurately center the holes 11 in the plates formin the barrels.

The nuts 8 serve to clamp the inner plates against feed hoppers 16, one of which is mounted on the outer face of each bracket 2 and has its face which engages the barrel machined to make a tight fit against the face 12. of the inside plate.

The shaft t is driven by a gear 17 fast thereon at its center between the brackets.

2 and this gear is in turn driven by a gear 18 on a counter shaft 19 whichis connected to a source of power and driven in any desired manner.

The feeding and pressing of the stock in each barrel is effected by a screw 5 which turns with the shaft, the screw for one barrel having a reverse pitch to that of the other barrel so that one gives what may be termed a right hand screw feed and the other a left hand screw feed. The screw may be made to turn with the shaft in any desired way but l prefer to form the screw in sections by forming it on sleeves 20 adapted to be slipped onto the free end of the-shaft and to be held thereon in proper relative position by a key 21. The screw makes a close turning fit with the bore of the barrel and thus forces the material in opposite directions from the center of the press toward the open ends of its barrels.

in order to regulate the compression in the barrel its open outer end is partly closed by a cone 22 and the extent to which the cone closes the end of the barrel determines the amount of ehective compression on the stock therein. Each cone is provided on its outer end with a yoke 23 which is adapted naeneor to receive pivoted bars 24 disposed horizontally and mounted at one end to turn about a vertical pivot 25 on a suitable sup port 26. A hook 27 is provided on the free end of each bar and these two hooks are adjustably connected by means of a chain 28. A hanger rod 29 pivotally suspended from an overhead support 30 is passed down through each bar 24: and the cone yoke 23, thus connecting said parts.

ll thread the lower end of the rod and provide the nuts 31 thereon both above and below the bars at so. that the cone can be adjusted verti cally to center it in the barrel bore. The links of the chain permit it to form an adjustable connection between the ends of the journaled on brackets 2 and carrying sus-' pended from its other end a weight 33' which may be varied or adjusted to produce the tension desired on the cones. The pull of the weight will draw the chain upwardly at its center, thus drawing together the ends of the bars 24 which are held against swinging upwardly by the. action of the hanger rods 29 that cause the cones to swing into the ends of the barrels. This arrangement maintains a uniform tension on both cones regardless of thbir relative position in the barrels and while permitting them to move with relative independence according to variations on the feed of stock to either barrel, it yet under all conditions maintains the desired compression of the stock in the press.

Under certain conditions it is desirable to effect a grinding and crushing of the material between the points at which it is compressed by the section of the screw and this is accomplished in one manner as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, where the sleeves 20 carrying sections of the screw 5 are spaced by interposed sleeves 3a which preferably are provided with peripheral grinding teeth 35 that travel in a circular path substantially less in diameter than the bore of the barrel. The plate 9? opposite such sleeve 35 is provided with an opening of less diameter than that in the other plates and preferably its inner peripheral wall is provided with teeth 36 which stand sufhciently close to the path of travel of the teeth on the sleeve 34 to produce a grinding and crushing action on the stock forced to pass between the teeth 35 and 36. These grinding devices may be interposed at the desired points in the length of the barrel as conditions may justify and the teeth may be varied in number and shape. It will also be understood that I may vary the shape 01' conformation of the bore of the barrel as formed by the plates by varying the center openings in the plates in other manners so as to make the apparatus readily adaptable without modifying the effectiveness of the press. The length of time the stock is under pressure is controlled by the barrel length and this also is important for obtaining the best results from different materials.

In order to keep the stock in a film against the barrel, I attach to each end of the shaft an extension sleeve 37 which extends nearly to the end of the barrel and the outer end of which is made conical and left open to receive the tip of its respective cone 22 when the latter is in its innermost position. The length of these extension sleeves 37 can be varied to correspond to the length to which the barrels may be increased. Its cone shape relieves the end cones of much strain. Each sleeve is machined to fit over the shaft end and key and may also be attached by a rivet or pin to the shaft. The cone hanger supports are adapted to permit the lengthwise adjustment of the hangers to suit their to a variation in the length of the barrels without change of cone centers. This may be provided for in any suitable manner.

In operation, having assembled the press in the manner described, the stock is deliv ered to the hoppers 16 and is'forced from each by the screws 5 into the barrels in opposite directions and in reverse spiral paths until it reaches the cones 23, which oppose the discharge of the material with predetermined tension and thus build up pressure in the barrels so that the liquid to be extracted is forced out through the spaces left between the plates 9 by the spacers 14 and will be dis- 3 charged into a pan 38 under each barrel. In case it is desired to increase the length of the screw, additional sleeves 20 can be slipped on the ends of the shaft 3 and when the grinding and crushing action is desired the screw sleeves20 are removed and grinding sleeves 34 interposed in the mannerdescribed so as to work opposite grinding plates 9 which are interposed in the barrel. grinding sleeves, if desired, may be inter posed at the end of the screw and sleeve 37 instead of between screw sections. It should be noted that it is only by reason of the location of the shaft drive between the screws .that I am enabled to leave the outer ends of the barrels unobstructed for the variation in The,

barrel length and the reception of the tension cones which permit a free outflow of the material under their control.

This application forms a continuation of application Serial No. 90,289, for a compensating expeller, filed April 10th, 1916.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a press of the character described, two corresponding alining barrels, 'a rotatable shaft having a right handexpressing screw working in one barrel and a left hand expressing screw working in the other barrel of the press, a center drive for the rotatable shaft, a bearing means which supports the barrels and shaft ends in overhung position, and means to control the discharge of stock from the free ends of the barrels, substantially as described.

:2. In a press of the character described, two alining barrels, a rotatable shaft having a right hand expressing screw working in one barrel and a left hand expressing screw working in the other barrel of the press, a center drive for the rotatable shaft, and bearing supports for the shaft and barrels dis posed entirely between the barrels, substantially as described.

3. In a press of the character described,

a pairof alining barrels, a rotatable shaft position free of end supports, right and left hand expressing screws on said shaft adapted to Work against each other in said barrels to substantially balance the shaft, means disposed between said barrels for driving the shaft, and means to control the expulsion of stock from the outer ends of the barrels.

4. In a press of the character described, sectional barrels formed of spaced press plates, rods on the overhung ends of-which said plates are assembled to form the barrels, a rotatable shaft having overhung ends entering the adjacent ends of said barrels, a center bearing means for supporting rods and the shaft, right and left hand expressing screws on said shaft ends adapted to work against each other in said barrels, hopper means to deliver stock into the adjacent inner barrels and shaft ends in overhung position,

and means to control the discharge of stock from the barrels, substantially as described.

6. in a press of the character described, two corresponding alining barrels, a rotatable shaft having a right hand expressing screw working in one barrel and a left hand expressing screw working in the other barrel of the press, a center drive for the rotatable shaft, a center support having spaced bearings for the shaft with the drive means interposed between said bearings, the shaft and barrel being mounted in overhung position on said support, and means to control the discharge of stock from the barrels, substantially as described.

7. in a press of the character described, two corresponding barrels, expressing screws working in the barrels of the press, means for driving saidscrews, means at the discharge ends of the barrelato control the ex pulsion of stock therefrom, and means to connect said latter means for joint control, substantially as described.

8. In a press of the character described, two corresponding barrels, a rotatable shaft having right and left hand expressing screw working in opposition to each other in the barrels of the press, movable elements for driving said shaft, means at the discharge ends of the barrels to control the expulsion of stock therefrom, and means to so connect said elements that they work in opposition to each other, and a common means to urge said elements to their work, substantially as described.

9. in a press of the character described, two corresponding barrels, a rotatable shaft having right and left hand expressing screws working in opposition to each other in the barrels of the press, means for driving said shaft, cones working in the discharge ends of the barrels to control the expulsion of stock therefrom, and adjustable means which connects said cones and urges them to their work, substantially as described.

10. A press of the character described comprising a frame, a pair of stationary press barrels mounted in the frame, cones working in the discharge ends of the barrels, and yieldable means connecting both cones and adapted to urge them toward the barrels to contract the size of the discharge openings for the stock therefrom.

11. A press of the character described comprising a frame, a pair of stationary press barrels mounted in the frame, expreming means within the barrels, cones working in the discharge ends of the barrels, a flexible connection between the cones, and a common means acting on said connection to urge said cones toward each other and into the open barrel ends, substantially as described.

12. A press of the character described comprising a supporting frame, a pair of stationary barrels mounted in the frame, cones working in the discharge ends of the learner barrels, means to confine the cones to a movement substantially in axial alineme'nt with the barrels, a flexible connection between the cones, and a counterweighted means acting on said flexible connection to simultaneously draw the cones into the discharge ends of the barrels, substantially as described.

13. A press of the character described comprising a supporting frame, a pair of stationary barrels mounted in the frame, expressing screws working in said barrels, cones working in the discharge ends of the barrels, pivoted levers disposed substantially at right angles to each other and adapted to support the cones in position to enter the discharge ends of the barrels, a flexible means to connect theucones, and a common tension mechanism comprising a lever, having'an adjustable connterweight, adapted to engage said flexible connection to yieldingly urge the cones into the discharge ends of the barrels while leaving the cones free to shift together in either direction.

14. in a press of the character described, a barrel consisting of a series of independent spaced rings, supporting rods upon which said rings are strung, detachable spacers between the rings, means to support said rods and barrel in overhung position free of support at one end, and detachable ring holding members on the free ends of said rods, substantially as described.

15. In a press of the character described, a frame, a barrel consisting of a plurality of independent spaced rings, and a common supporting means for said rings overhung from the frame and having an adjustable ring clamping means onits free outer end to "permit a variable number of rings to be mounted and clamped together to form a barrel variable as to length, substantially as described.

l6. lfn a press of the character described, a sectional barrel adjustable as tolength, and a sectional expressing screw working in the barrel and adjustable as to length, substantially as described.

17. in a press of the character described, a sectional barrel adjustable as to length, a sectional expressing screw in the barrel, and a cone working in the end of the barrel and having supports adjustable lengthwise of the barrel, substantially as described.

18. In a press of the character described, a barrel consisting of a plurality of'independent rings, one or more of said rings having internal grinding members, a rotatable shaft, expressing screws mounted. on the shaft, and a grinding element also mounted on the shaft opposite the ring having said grinding elements.

19. in a press of the character described, a frame, barrels consisting each of a series of independent spaced rings, rods intermediately mounted in said frame and having overhung ends on which said rings are strung, a retaining element adjustable along the free ends of the rods to permit the number of rings employed to b varied, and an expressing screw shaft mounted in said bearings with its overhung ends carrying expressing screws working in said barrels, substantially as described.

20. In a press, a barrel formed of ringlike press plates, means to mount the plates in spaced relationship, and a rotatable element working in the barrel and carrying expressing and grinding elements, the plates having their internalbore varying substantially in diameter opposite difl'erentportions of said rotatable element to vary the clearance between the barrel and the rotatable element working therein.

21. In a ress, a barrel formed of ringlike press p ates having difi'erent shaped internal openings, and a. rotatable element acting on the stock in the barrel and varying in shape to co-act with said barrels internal contour.

22. In a press, a sectional press barrel adjustable'as to length, a. rotatable shaft having an overhung end in the barrel, an expressing screw on the shaft end, a flaring conical extension sleeve detachably mounted on the shaft end and extending nearly to the barrels discharge end, and a cone working in the discharge end of the barrel to resist the outflow of stocktherefrom.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

JAMES M. PEER-SON, 

